Akoya Grading Question

[Jcat]

Just wondering if anyone knows what "Special Grade" is equivalent to? My mom has a strand of Imperial Akoya pearls and she recently had it restrung into bracelets because she never wore it as a necklace and it was just sitting in the case for many years. The jeweler ( without inspecting them) asked if they were Mikimoto when she saw them. Close inspection reveals they are not blemish free. The luster is really high though. The tag that she kept says "Special Grade" as does the receipt.

 

[Pearlescence]

The Mikimoto website should have that info.They do their own grading thing

 

[NacreLover]

Why not go to Imperial's website and look around there? I'm sure they have a grading /education section to their large site.

 

[NacreLover]

They now use A, AA and Crown to grade akoya

 

[Jcat]

I looked on the Imperial website and saw they use the A-AAA rating. That's why I was confused. They had the crown symbol on the clasp (before they were restrung into bracelets). Maybe they were a more affordable line or something? Oh well I was just curious.

 

[Pearlescence]

Dur, if anyone thinks I was bonkers to say look at miki's website, I forgot which company in between reading the OP and posting the reply...age creeping in.
I also have now spotted that the posts are right at the bottom of this page. Every forum does things just that bit differently!